Drill Team Report

Excessive heat warnings were issued so we cancelled Ride Night on Thursday evening; temperatures ranged from 108 to 112.  To beat the heat, we worked Sister Friday morning in the WOR Arena.  I switched bits too since the loose ring snaffle we have been using is a little thick and I hope she will like a thinner D-ring.  Maybe she does, but who can say.


After cancelling drill 2 weeks in a row because it was to hot, we went ahead in spite of the high of 112 degrees.  In the shade of the Rocking C arena, with low humidity and a brisk breeze, the practice went well - walk/trot only to be safe.  Pico was a little off; perhaps its a little arthritis?  We will start him on some joint supplement ASAP.  Since he is 17, perhaps we should have started him on joint supplement earlier?  Alaina and Sunny did a little flag practice too (their first attempt).


Sister and I went to the Party Lesson alone.  We did warm-up with Clinton Anderson exercises including backing and desensitizing with stick and string.  We concentrated on correct bend and support to prevent falling in or falling out.  Sister really drops her shoulder to the left rather than bending left so I worked to provide enough outside rein and inside leg.  We worked spiral-in/out both directions and then leg-yields before........   asking for CANTER.  We started right lead and the transitions were prompt if a little rushed and we stayed on the 20 m circle.  Then.... the dreaded LEFT LEAD.  Sister did NOT want to take the canter and our first transition was tough.  We were 3/4 of the way around the circle before we got the canter depart.  Sister felt rushed and I tried to sit deep and give half-halts to help with balance.  Our second canter depart was better so we stopped before I ran out of steam.   I claim success since I didn't fall OFF.  Yippee.

On a somber note, several large wild fires ravaged areas west of Tulsa on Saturday made more dangerous by the stiff breeze and the extra dry conditions.  Donna and Billy lost their detached garage (holding all their sentimental keepsakes as well as furnishings in storage while they remodel the house).  Saturday evening, a front came through with cooler temps and a change of wind-directions helped firefighters gain some control.  But, several towns were decimated and many have lost homes.  The front brought a little rain in our neck of the woods as well as some serious wind so we lost power for a few hours.  Perhaps the moisture will help lower the fire danger. 

Gravity

Still works.  I checked and hit the dirt (e.g., sand). 

I started my weekend Friday morning with a sunrise ride on Sister with C supervising.  After very good lounging, I mounted and worked walk/trot/stand/back in the roundpen before C had to go.  Sister is making some progress and Mallory's pasture looked so inviting with dew on the grasses in the beautiful early morning light that I decided to try a pasture walk alone.  We managed to open the gate and walk through and slowly made our way up the hill to the higher grass.  Sister was very good.  No trail salad allowed but we walked big circles in the dew and then serpentined our way back down the hill.  No spooking and we even crossed a dry creekbed.  Back in the round pen, I dismounted and let sister have some hand grazing time while I brushed.

The girls started their weekend with a lesson at Patty's on Friday night.  Patty and her drill team had a competition Sat., so no Party Lesson.  We started in the DUSTY outdoor arena at sundown and the dust made beautiful lighting effects in the covered arena.  Splash was just slightly off but we worked caveletti collected and then extended before we moved to the covered arena for the rest of the lesson in hopes of less dust.  At the walk, we worked on shoulder-in.  Splash has a really hard time with shoulder-in right and was some better when working for left shoulder in.  Maybe because he has a hard time with right hind work?  We moved on to trot and leg yields.  Alaina got some good shoulder in and leg yield and Ivy had some lovely canter transitions.  Splash had correct left lead canter and got right lead about 50 percent of the time.  He also wanted to drop to trot during right lead.  I am hoping that riding lightly will strengthen him and help him get totally sound.

Saturday morning the girls and I took Diez and Pico to Mallory's.  I worked Sister while the girls rode a little pasture/trail ride with Roxanne and Mallory.  After the girls got finished, Mallory and Trouper and Sister and I headed up to the arena.  Roy was mowing up on the hill, but Sister seemed fine each way around the arena at a walk so we worked trot along the long sides and walk in the corners/short side.  After a couple of loops both directions, Sister did a major spook to the left and I didn't move with her.  Darn!  I hate when that happens.

The good news is that Sister didn't run away out of the arena and into the wild west.  Also, she stood quiet while I re-mounted.  We trotted a bit more and walked around briefly and then we serpentened down the hill to the round pen.  I am stiff and sore but will probably live. 

Later that afternoon, I dropped in at the Expo where the Rocking C Drill Team was competing at a Drill Competition.  They placed first in Youth Freestyle and 4th in Youth Theme with their fabulous Pirates of the Caribean routine.  Congratulations girls - you were wonderful.  I think the YaYa Sisters should consider doing some drill team work - it looked really fun.